Banking official joins District 64 board

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Cook County

Cook County (Tribune illustration)

Lee V. Gaines, Special to the Tribune

The Niles Park Ridge District 64 Board of Education has selected Robert Johnson, a senior vice president at Northern Trust in Chicago, to fill the seat left vacant by former board secretary Terry Cameron.

Johnson, who told the board he prefers to be called Bob, was one of eight candidates interviewed at a special meeting last week. A total of 12 candidates applied for the position.

In addition to managing Northern Trust's relationships with nonprofit organizations, Johnson said he also has spent 17 years coaching hundreds of children in baseball, softball and basketball.

Johnson's oldest child, who is 23, has graduated from college, while his middle child recently graduated from Maine South High School and his youngest child will attend eighth grade this fall at Emerson Middle School.

"I've had a lot of exposure spread out over time seeing what the key factors are for making a great education for children, and as a parent I understand what is truly important over the long term," he said.

Johnson expressed concern over implementation of the state's Common Core math curriculum, citing the recent decline in math scores on the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment.

"I'm worried we could have a couple of classes of students who may end up going to high school less prepared than their predecessors were," he said.

Noting Johnson's background in finance, board president Anthony Borrelli asked if the candidate had looked at the district's budget and long-term projections.

Johnson said he had and pointed to slow-growing tax revenue and available cash on hand as trends that may be headed in the wrong direction.

"You're not positioned poorly, but you do have to look ahead for those trends and see if there is sufficient funding for the future," he said.

Answering a question posed by board member Dan Collins, Johnson said the biggest strength he'd bring to the position would be his background in finance, and his biggest challenge would be grappling with the nuances of standardized testing metrics.

Board member Dathan Paterno inquired about what complaints parents have expressed to Johnson. He said fees associated with the 1:1 implementation -- which require parents to purchase $300 Chromebooks for students in grades six through eight – trouble some families.

"On an overall basis, I think District 64 is a great school district, and there are a lot of staff members who do a phenomenal job," Johnson said

In a press release, Borrelli said the board is looking forward to working with Johnson, who is slated to serve until elections next spring.

"His genuine offer to commit his expertise and time to help ensure that our schools continue to be the hallmark of the community also impressed the board," Borrelli said.